11
As it turned out our late arrival combined with the way Draven said I looked seemed to go hand in hand as the second I got inside Sophia quickly stole me away. I thought this was sweet for all of thirty seconds before she told me why she was dragging me off to one side. But once she opened her mouth and then yeah, not so much on the sweet but definitely much, much more of the…
“Oh my god, are you Ffffing crazy!?” I hissed the second she confessed and now was self-consciously looking around like a paranoid android with a few circuits short of a functioning motherboard!
Of course, Sophia didn’t even try to contain the smirk that made her look more primeval than cute as she held up her hands in feigned surrender and said,
“Don’t shoot down the demon messenger honey, it was your new husband that gave the order.” Hearing this I couldn’t help but say to hell with keeping this conversation on the low down as I screamed,
“You’re shitting me!” Just then my great aunty Jean decided to walk past and instead of looking mortified she simply patted my arm and said,
“Don’t worry deary, it happens to us all… I find eating three prunes a day helps keep things flowing down the pipes just fine.” I first gave her a vacant lost look wondering what on earth she had heard me say or taken from my shouted comment, now knowing she obviously thought I had problems with my back plumbing. Oh great, that was all I needed, to be the next topic of conversation at her weekly WI meeting. I was still in my early twenties for Christ’s sake and what I liked to think was a long way off from wearing big beige knickers the size of a cape and asking for a blue rinse at my next hair appointment!
I gave her a strained smile that was more of a wince as she limped passed us on her three-wheeler walker, trying not to groan aloud and smack my forehead in frustration. So instead I turned my attention back to the current cause of my mental anguish only to see her fighting off a grin.
“Hey, it’s like I said, this one isn’t on me this time, so take it up with the big man,” she said looking as if she was enjoying this far too much and if anything, just waiting to become a spectator in the next Keira/Draven showdown. Of course, when Draven had first told me what they had told my dad, I had of course believed he was joking and simply teasing me. Because surely that wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to tell your new father in law…was it?
Well, for a man like Draven then who the hell knew, as it wasn’t exactly as though he went by human convention on a daily basis. I turned around and looked about the room trying to find the culprit and not having to look far. I saw him standing near my sister and Frank, deep in conversation whilst little Ella was trying to swing from his arm like he was a climbing frame.
I guess, given his great height and strength, it was like begging a wild child like Ella to just grab a hand and have a go. I even saw Libby try to contain her but with a small shake of my husband’s head, she continued to let her daughter use him as she saw fit. I found myself smiling at the sight despite my annoyance and I looked down to see a hand cradling my stomach. I bit my lip at the thought of seeing that very sight with our own child and tears nearly sprang up, pushing my pissed off state to one side and my baby hormones giving it the elbow. But then my sister’s eyes found mine and that barely contained smirk had my heckles back up again just as quickly.
“Excuse me Sophia, it’s time to teach my husband a very important life lesson.” I said scornfully walking away.
“And that is?” I looked back over my shoulder at her and said firmly,
“A happy wife means a happy life.”
“And an unhappy one?” She just couldn’t help herself from asking with another knowing grin and this time I found myself joining her when I answered with two simple words,
“Blue balls.” Then I walked away to the sound of her laughter and the second I got within distance of Draven it was as if he felt me before he even needed to look. He snaked out a hand without confirming it was me and quickly tucked me into his free side… the one not being used as a play thing for a toddler.
Libby gave us both a warm smile obviously enjoying the sight of me being next to my new husband so sweetly. Then she gave me a knowing look that also held a mirror smirk her own husband was also currently gifting my way. I wanted to roll my eyes before elbowing Draven in the gut knowing it would do no harm but in letting him know I was not happy.
He leant down closer to me so as he could kiss the top of my head before whispering so no one else could hear,
“Blue balls, is it?” I growled in response making him chuckle.
“Excuse me, I just need to borrow my husband a minute…sorry Ella Bella,” I added looking down at my niece who was dressed like her favourite Disney character, hence where her nickname first stemmed from. She even had a small beast doll hanging by his leg that she had held firmly in her little fist. At first, I thought she was going to cry and so did Draven as he quickly bent down and whispered something in her ear. I didn’t hear what it was, but it made her suddenly drop to all fours, growl up at him like a little cat and go crawling off at a quicker speed than Libby would have liked.
“Aunty Pip, Pip!” she shouted quickly getting Pip’s attention. Pip saw her coming and just as quickly dropped to all fours and started chasing her. I think Hilary and her mum, who she and Adam had been speaking with, actually did a double take when she did this. Adam however just looked down at his now crawling wife like he wanted to snatch her up and cuddle her for how cute he found it.
Of course. there was something to be said at seeing a small green haired woman crawling around the floor of what was essentially a posh place. But then add this to her wearing pink frilly dungarees that were a skirt and make to look like a 1950’s housewife’s apron, was enough to get you looking twice. You could actually tell who was used to the sight as the only supernatural being staring at her was her husband and that was in his usual adoring way.
The rest of us were just so used to Pip’s amazing brand of crazy that this was considered normal. Now, maybe if we had walked in and found Pip dressed like she had just walked out of the Gap and was calmly making normal chit chat, then we would have probably questioned if another apocalypse was upon us.
Which brought me back to the now and that was Ella currently pretending to be a wild beast, using the cute Disney doll as a chew toy and shaking it in her mouth like it was her recent kill.
“I swear she gets it from your side of the family,” my sister moaned to Frank before making her way in the same direction as her unruly daughter. Frank just shrugged his shoulders before following her and I couldn’t miss the way Draven commented under his breath, saying,
“Not likely.” I would have asked what he meant by that but right in that moment I had my own agenda for storming over here. I grabbed his sleeve and practically dragged him over to the side of the room, unfortunately walking past my great aunty Jean yet again.
“Remember the prunes dear, three a day to keep any blockage away,” she said as if humming a merry tune making me roll my eyes and nearly asking for God’s help out loud. But instead of letting my instincts kick in the second she passed, I forced myself to grant her an obligatory smile I felt was close to cracking my face it was that strained. I also tried to ignore Draven who obviously was trying very hard not to ask if I had an issue with my bowels he was unaware of. However, with one hissed warning, he wisely refrained when I said,
“Don’t you dare say a word.”
“Not to say that I am not enjoying being dragged forcefully away by my wife, but I must at the very least enquire as to why?” he asked once I had found a safe distance between us and the rest of the room. One look told me this was supernatural bullshit, as with his hearing he knew exactly why…which is exactly what I said…well sort of anyway.
“You know why! Draven how could you allow your brother and sister to tell my family that the reasons we were late were…well, were…were… you know!?” I asked letting my anger strain my voice. He looked down at me and even bit his bottom lip to aid in holding back the smile I already knew was there ready to break out. Then he ran a single fingertip down my cheek and purred my name.
“Keira.” I wanted to frown back up at him but instead I foolishly allowed his voice to affect me as he knew it would. So instead, I closed my eyes and breathed in his touch like a drug I needed to feel the hit from flood my system. I felt him getting closer to me and only when his lips were at my ear did I shudder against him.
“Are you embarrassed that people know you belong to me?” he asked me with dangerous calm. But I knew Draven and therefore knew him well enough to answer his question with care. Of course, the way his teeth found my neck also told me without words to be careful with my answer.
“Nnn…no,” I stuttered, and I felt his lips turn up into a smile against my skin.
“Right answer, Sweetheart,” he praised, squeezing my side and tugging me even closer to his large muscular frame. Then his hand shamelessly snaked under my sweater and found contact with my skin, making me shiver against him.
“Draven, not here.” The three pleaded words were whispered through gritted teeth as I frantically grabbed his hand and tried to push it away. His growl vibrating the length of my neck loosened my grip on his hand instantly.
“Damn the room Keira, you are mine whenever I wish it, do you understand?” he told me, and the first half came more from his demon side speaking directly to me.
“You don’t mean that, Draven,” I told him knowing he knew I was referring only to him damning the room full of people we cared about.
“Then you are not right of mind if you question me on this, for I can quite assure you, Love of mine, that when you are in the room, that is all that consumes my mind, body, heart and soul…so yes, my demon would damn all that kept me from you and my hands from your body… one I owned from the first day I met you,” he said with such intensity it had me questioning what was happening with him. Even his hold on me had become rough and hard.
Yes, so Draven had always been the possessive type, but this new behaviour was…well it was a little unnerving.
I didn’t really know what to say to this so instead I let my head fall forward until my forehead was resting on his chest. Once there I muttered his name as a single worded plea,
“Dominic.” Upon hearing this he finally relinquished his firm hold of me and instead started to sooth where his fingertips had started to bite into my skin.
“I am sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” he confessed, and I looked up at him in time to see him shake his head slightly as if to try and make sense of his behaviour himself. I decided to just put it down to what it was and that was surviving the end of the world after nearly losing everything…that everything being mainly each other.
“Are you alright?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking as I reached up and placed my hand to cup his cheek. This seemed to bring him back to me and for a moment he looked lost in my eyes. Then he covered my hand, dwarfing it in his much larger palm before pulling it down to his lips to kiss.
“With you forever by my side, then how could I be anything else but alright?” He told me sweetly, however I wasn’t convinced. But instead of going with my impulse to push, I fought against it and decided to let it go…for now.
“Good, does this mean I can go back to telling you off now?” I only half joked making him laugh. And just like that the tension seemed to roll off him like an invisible dark veil that slipped from his shoulders and back into the shadows where it belonged.
“I can’t believe my family now thinks that we were late because you couldn’t keep your hands off me!” I complained blushing even now at the thought.
“Well then, that will teach you not to underestimate the Angel side of me,” he said teasingly, and I cocked a hip to the side resting a hand there and asked,
“And what is that supposed to mean exactly?” From the look on his face he was pleased I had asked this as it was obviously something he was expecting. He smirked down at me before lowering his face closer to mine so that he could whisper over my lips,
“It’s a sin to lie, Sweetheart.” Then just as my mouth had dropped open I heard Draven speaking my parents’ names, addressing them as they approached us from behind.
“Joyce, Eric, please forgive us for our late arrival but as you no doubt gathered by now, the love I have for your daughter comes above all else,” Draven said smoothly as if his part time job was writing books titled, ‘How to get parents in law to fall in love with you in ten easy steps or less’. I felt his hand find mine and as he tugged me to him, I half fell into his side just as he delivered another bombshell to me in a whisper,
“That’s a little long winded for a title, beautiful.” Then he kissed my cheek, so it looked to my parents that was what he intended all along. This then leaving him looking like some cool, Greek God nicknamed Casanova and me looking like a fish out of water, flapping on the ground and drowning above sea level. Life just wasn’t fair sometimes. So, I giggled, hit his arm lightly and said,
“Oh, would you listen to him, such a smooth talker I married…no the real reason we were late was you had a little business to deal with, didn’t you, honey?” I almost hissed the last three words, telling him silently that he’d better go along with it or there would be hell to pay!
To say the least, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea that letting my parents believe now we were hitched we were a couple of rampant bunnies that couldn’t even make it to a meal on time thanks to our lustful ways. Okay, so we did have sex in the car on the way here and I had lost count how many times in the last 24hours we’d had sex but that was beside the point. Just because we couldn’t keep our hands off each other didn’t mean my parents needed to be in the ‘very private know’. As in, not at all!
“Oh dear, that’s such a shame that even the day after your wedding you had to work,” my mum said softly, although one look at my dad told me he was less convinced.
“Should we take our seats now, I think they are ready for us…oh look, so they are,” I said in a rush thankfully noticing the woman who was working front of house opening the door into the restaurant and looking around for whoever was in charge of this large party.
Draven looked down at me in shock and the second I smirked back at him I knew he was suppressing a growl. Then a purple glint flashed in his eyes once and his wicked grin was back in place when it was obvious an idea had just struck him.
But instead of freaking out, I decided now was a perfect time to make my getaway and thanks to my new Vampiness skills, (Yes, I am sure it’s a word) I managed to twist out of his hold without falling over and sneaking away before he could stop me. I giggled when hearing him growl as I quickly strutted away.
I walked into the large room that had now all been set up ready for what looked more like a stately dinner than a casual meal with family and friends.
The long table had been decorated with flower arrangements with what looked like every purple flower known to man. And each were created in low diamond shapes that sprayed out against the long white table runner with large silver candelabras at their centres. Each of these then held five long purple candles that stretched up like flame lit fingers reaching up to Heaven. Even the chairs were covered in pristine white, tied with deep purple sashes…all expect two.
These were two high backed chairs of highly polished black lacquer positioned opposite each other, situated in the middle of the long table, reminding me too much of thrones. If anything, the whole opulent room just reminded me of another wedding, and suddenly I was wishing I was wearing something less casual than a chunky cream sweater. But then as I caught Draven’s eyes search me out when he swiftly entered the room, I no longer felt self-conscious. If anything, the way he looked at me right now made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the room, one he was currently and shamelessly undressing with his eyes.
He briefly took in the room and I soon realised he wasn’t doing it for reasons as I had, which was to take in the beautiful setting. No, I was soon to find out why…in the most embarrassing way possible. I watched as the girl who was front of house approached Draven and asked if everything was to his satisfaction. I was just taking my seat when he found what he was looking for and sternly replied,
“No, but it soon will be.” Then just as everyone else entered the room and started to fill the long rows of seats, Draven positioned himself opposite me, grasping the back of his chair tightly. His eyes burned into me with that strange intensity back in his flickering purple gaze. It was almost as if he was silently challenging me and I couldn’t help raising an eyebrow in question. Just what was he up to this time?
Unfortunately for me I soon found out after he had waited until everyone had pretty much taken their seats and he had the attention of the room. Only then did he make his intentions known. Frank was just about to take his seat next to me, which would have put him opposite my sister, when Draven gestured to him with a shake of his head. Then I couldn’t believe it when Draven took hold of his chair and raised it up easily over one shoulder.
“Excuse me Frank, I am sure you understand, but if you wouldn’t mind, I think others would agree I have been without her beauty by my side for far too many years than I wish to count,” he said as he swiftly spun Frank’s chair out of his way so that he could position his own next to mine. Frank’s grin was huge as he slapped Draven on the back and said,
“You got it Dom, besides, now I get to sit next to my own beautiful wife.” Hearing this made Libby blush just like I did but her own beaming smile couldn’t be missed. I glanced towards my mum who was leaning into my dad and whispering something that I knew was no doubt soppy and proud. I knew this when my dad granted a sweet kiss on her forehead making me realise how much love was flowing freely in the room.
I watched as Frank lifted his own chair over the other side, squeezing my dad’s shoulder as he passed, a gesture that spoke of the closeness of our family unit and now it was only getting bigger. I couldn’t help but look down at the table to see not only my own family members but also my adopted supernatural family, starting with Vincent who sat next to Draven and Sophia who sat opposite him. This was when I noticed that there was a definite divide as one side of the table was all human and the other was all supernatural. Almost everyone from the wedding was still here and I was touched to see that everyone close to us, still wanted to celebrate our union.
“Everyone is still here,” I said nodding down Draven’s end of the table seeing everyone from Jared and his crew, to Lucius and his own council. Even Leivic, Draven’s best friend was still here, along with Sigurd and of course, his father Ragnar.
“They too want to celebrate the battle won with us, and this day marks the end of the end of days.” Draven replied, and I couldn’t help but give him a sceptical look in return. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him, but I knew him well enough by now to see that he was keeping another reason from me. Thankfully, he also knew me well enough to know that with my one look that was all it took for him to fess up.
“We also have a council meeting set for tomorrow after the party tonight,” he confessed, and I couldn’t hide my knowing smile.
“Party?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. He first had to clear his throat before answering and only when he spoke did I understand why when he said,
“In Sophia’s playroom.” I felt my eyes get wide before having to quickly clear my own throat before saying a murmured,
“Oh.” I felt him grip my thigh under the table to get my attention and say,
“We will be celebrating on our own, sweetheart…in private,” Draven told me quietly but obviously not quietly enough as Sophia quickly and very clearly, disagreed.
“Oh no, you two are not getting out of it and will definitely be there…” Sophia was interrupted by Draven’s low growl, one that didn’t go solely unnoticed by the humans it should have been hidden from. I laughed trying to ease the tension and squeezed his leg to try and get him back to the room, one filled with humans.
“Not going to happen, Sophia.” Draven said sternly obviously not liking the idea, but Sophia had an ace up her sleeve, or should I say a Royal.
“Shame then that you must, as it is after all your place…being that you are the boss and it is your business,” Sophia reminded him of his duty in a way that could be argued in front of the unsuspecting humans.
“Oh, that’s a shame, work again Dominic…You kids sure do need a honeymoon,” my mum said giving me a sympathetic look.
“That’s ok mum, we don’t need one and besides, we spend a lot of time together, don’t we Dra…Dominic?” I said almost forgetting myself and calling him by his last name again.
“Well that’s not strictly true, Sweetheart,” he said making me wish I could get away with kicking his shin like I would have done had we been sat opposite each other. No, instead I had to be content with just digging my nails into the inside of his leg, hoping it didn’t just feel like being tickled by a kitten. Of course, the bastard didn’t even flinch, but he did at least look at me, so I knew he felt it.
“I believe your mother is right, lately work has occupied too much of my time and I think now is the right time to set aside my commitments to one far more important to me…you, my wife,” Draven said making me silently panic inside…what the hell was he planning this time? I gave the room and him a fake smile as I leant into him to whisper something only he would hear.
“If this plan of yours includes a tall tower in the middle of nowhere with a lock on the door, then me and you are going to have words, Draven.” I threatened all the while still smiling. He let out a booming laugh making the whole table wonder what I must have said to prompt such a reaction. Then he grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss that was closer to being classed as X rated than the ‘family function’ peck on the cheek it really should have been. Even Marcus and Orthrus had been wolf whistling towards the end.
“Kissy, kissy!” Ella shouted, and my dad was clearing his throat whilst my nan was fanning herself with a napkin. I finally felt Draven’s hold ease on me and I pulled back to see his eyes hooded with lust that only spoke of his need for me, not the same shame I was feeling at our carnal act into front of everyone.
“Draven.” I hissed through clenched teeth that even felt as hot as the rest of my face did. Jesus, but I think my blush could even be found on my toes, I was that embarrassed. But one look at Draven and he didn’t care, nor was he taking my reaction seriously. I knew this when he simply winked at me before standing up from his seat and announcing to the room,
“As host, I feel it is my duty to say a few words…much to my wife’s obvious dismay,” he added, this time making the whole room laugh…other than me of course, who was trying hard not to scowl at him.
“First, I would like to thank you all for not only sharing in our joyous union yesterday but also joining us today in celebrating its aftermath. For me personally this day was far too long in waiting and as you have no doubt noticed, now I finally have her, the Devil himself would be questioning his sanity if he were to try and take her from me, as would anyone else,” Draven said, more for his side of the family than mine and even though his words must have sounded strange to my human side, well let’s just say that they soon got the picture of Draven’s love and devotion.
“As simply put as it can be around her, as I am sure you will all agree with me on how blessed we all are to have her in our lives…” he added making me blush scarlet that was very close to verging on the very unsexy ‘strangled purple’ colour.
“No simply put, she is my life… for nothing else matters to me but the heart she grants me, the soul she entwines with mine and the beautiful mind she gifts me every day. No, nothing else but my love for her and for the love I am extremely blessed and grateful to share with you all, that now quickly grows and extends to another…” He paused to look down at me smiling when seeing the tears of joy overflowing down my cheeks, then he continued and started to tell everyone dear to us,
“Keira, my beautiful wife…” he stopped and took a moment to look down at me once more before taking my hand, pulling me up to stand next to him. Then still looking down at me he cupped my cheek, swiped a single escaping tear from my skin, before announcing to the room,
“…is pregnant with our child.”
And he did this without once…
Taking his eyes from mine.